idea in the Oxford-Hachette French Dictionary

Translations for idea in the English»French Dictionary

idea [Brit ʌɪˈdɪə, Am aɪˈdiə] N

1. idea (suggestion):

idea

idée f

a good idea

une bonne idée

it was Sophie's idea to sell the car

c'est Sophie qui a eu l'idée de vendre la voiture

he came up with or hit on the idea of buying a farm

l'idée lui est venue d'acheter une ferme

to be full of ideas

avoir plein d'idées

2. idea (plan):

idea

idée f

to have some vague idea of doing

avoir dans l'idée de faire

it's a good idea to take a raincoat

c'est une bonne idée d'emporter un imperméable

to put an idea into sb's head

mettre une idée dans la tête de qn

don't start getting ideas!

ne commence pas à te faire des idées!

you can get or put that idea out of your head!

il n'en est pas question!

3. idea (thought):

idea

idée f (about, on sur)

what are your ideas on this portrayal?

qu'est-ce que vous pensez de cette interprétation?

4. idea (concept, notion):

idea

conception f

he's got strange ideas about women/education

il a une drôle de conception des femmes/de l'enseignement

you've got a funny idea of loyalty

tu as une drôle de conception de la loyauté

if that's your idea of good work/of a joke…

si c'est ça que tu appelles du bon travail/une plaisanterie…

a hamburger isn't my idea of a good meal

un hamburger n'est pas vraiment ce que j'appelle un bon repas

5. idea (impression):

idea

impression f

to give sb the idea that …

donner à qn l'impression que …

+ indic he's got the idea that everybody is lying to him

il a l'impression que tout le monde lui ment

whatever gave you that idea!

qu'est-ce qui t'a fait croire une chose pareille!

6. idea (knowledge):

idea

idée f

do you have any idea how/where etc…?

as-tu une idée sur la manière dont/où etc…?

I have no idea

je n'en ai pas la moindre idée

to have no idea why/how etc

ne pas savoir pourquoi/comment etc

to have an idea of how long it takes to do

avoir une idée du temps qu'il faut pour faire

he hadn't the slightest idea who I was

il ne savait absolument pas qui j'étais

he's 55? I had no idea!

il a 55 ans? je ne savais pas!

to have no idea of or about price, time

n'avoir aucune idée de

I have no idea whether he's arrived or not

je ne sais pas du tout s'il est arrivé ou non

you've no idea how pleased I was!

tu ne peux pas savoir combien j'étais content!

I have a vague idea what you mean

j'ai une idée de ce que tu veux dire

what a funny idea!

quelle drôle d'idée!

7. idea (theory):

idea

idée f

I've an idea that he might be lying

j'ai dans l'idée qu'il ment

he's got funny ideas on management

il a de drôles d'idées sur la gestion

I've got a pretty good idea who stole the money

je crois bien savoir qui a volé l'argent

8. idea (aim):

idea

but m

the idea of a diet is to lose weight

le but d'un régime est de perdre du poids

that's the whole idea!

c'est bien là tout le but

what's the idea behind the offer?

quel est le but de cette proposition?

9. idea (gist):

now I get the idea

ah, maintenant je vois

do you get the idea?

tu vois?

now you're getting the idea

voilà, tu commences à comprendre

that's the idea!

c'est ça!

10. idea (estimate):

to give sb an idea of cost, price

donner une idée à qn de

the very idea!

quelle idée!

what's the big idea inf? inf

qu'est-ce qui te prend?

Your search term in other parts of the dictionary

scatterbrained idea

farfelu inf

contradictory idea, wishes (to something else)

opposé (to à)

pervasive idea, feeling

envahissant

cotton to plan, idea

approuver

free-flowing idea

qui vient librement

free-floating idea

en l'air

perverted idea

tordu

obsolete custom, idea

démodé

promulgate theory, idea

répandre

idea in the PONS Dictionary

Translations for idea in the English»French Dictionary

idea [aɪ·ˈdi·ə] N

1. idea (notion, opinion, suggestion, plan):

idea

idée f

great idea!

quelle idée géniale!

2. idea (conception):

idea

conception f

to not be sb's idea of sth

ne pas être ce que qn appelle qc

3. idea (impression):

idea

impression f

to have an idea that ...

avoir l'impression que ...

4. idea (purpose):

the idea behind sth

le but de qc

with the idea of doing sth

dans le but de faire qc

Phrases:

to not have the slightest idea

ne pas avoir la moindre idée

Your search term in other parts of the dictionary

novel idea, concept

original(e)

foolproof idea

très simple (à mettre en pratique)

cock-eyed idea, plan

absurde

embody idea

incarner

exponent of idea

représentant(e) m (f)

resurrect idea

faire revivre

preposterous idea

farfelu(e)

Translations for idea in the French»English Dictionary

Your search term in other parts of the dictionary

extravagance

extravagant idea

idée obsédante

obsessive idea

Monolingual examples (not verified by PONS Editors)

English

The other characters had no idea, as the affair had barely started that very evening.

en.wikipedia.org

But you'll need to be quick as it will soon be dissolved to demonstrate the idea of non-attachment.

www.abc.net.au

The idea of a head start may seem unfair.

en.wikipedia.org

If nothing else, that reply gives a good idea of the brush-off householders can expect to receive if they complain when the tariff rates they were promised are cut.

blogs.telegraph.co.uk

In this book he reveals his idea that living under the autocratic system is equal to slavery.

en.wikipedia.org

The idea of ending beggary has to start with ending the causes of beggary.

www.thehindu.com

The idea that he could forget three or four big cheques like this is either risible, or a matter for a neurosurgeon.

www.listener.co.nz

We seem trapped by an idea that supporting an elite institution is a suspicious, bad thing.

www.independent.ie

There ought to be an idea behind every painting.

en.wikipedia.org

It was that inspiration that eventually lead him to the idea to use a stroboscope coupled with a feedback control system.

en.wikipedia.org